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Udziro Lake Backpacking Racha Region – from July to October

Udziro Lake

Private adventure to Udzrlo Lake, perched deep in Racha region. Pack your tent and sleeping bag and get ready for stunning views. The trek is perfect for advanced hikers looking for a thrilling trail.

Date: Anytime from July yo October
Duration: 3 days/2 Night
Driving distance: 650 km
Trip difficulty: Hard
Group size: Any size
Accommodation: Shared twin/triple rooms in a local basic guesthouse on Day 1. tents on Day 2
If you don’t own a tent, we can assist you with the rental!

Equipment needed: a sleeping bag, a sleeping pad, a tent, hiking poles, hiking boots, raincoat, a backpack.
Pick-up: 9:00 Your hotel location
Price: 795 GEL per person in case of 5 participants.
Please let us know your exact quantity for exact price.

 

Trail parameters:

Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 19 km – A to B LOOP
Min. elevation: 1338 m.a.s.l.
Max. elevation: 3075 m.a.s.l.
Total elevation gain: 1863 m
Total elevation loss: 1730 m
Water sources: Streams, Udzrlo Lake, tap or spring water in villages at the beginning and the end of the trail
River crossings: 1

 

Trail description:
The trek is long, with a large elevation gain. The section is particularly challenging before the Katitsvera Pass, from which you descend towards Udzrlo Lake. Descent is initially steep, then gradually eases. Even in mid-July, parts of this section can be covered with snowfields. The area around Udzrlo Lake is relatively flat and good for camping. From Udzrlo, the trail navigates through alpine meadows and rhododendron fields. In summer, the grass here is very high. Make sure to wear long trousers. The trail crosses a mountain stream, enters a forest here, and continues downhill until the Glola village.

 

Day 1
Tbilisi – Racha new road – Ambrolauri

We will leave Tbilisi in the morning and head to the Racha region. On the way, we will stop to admire views of Shkmeri road. On this day we will stay in Ambrolauri or in Shovi depending on availability of accommodation. Dinner, Overnight.

Day 2
Shovi – Katitsvera pass – Camp

After breakfast we will prepare our equipment and lunch boxes and head to the starting point of our trail. The first several hours we will spend hiking in the forest. Later on, the trail will shift to meadows and a river valley. Finally, we will reach Katitsvera Pass and take a longer break before crossing it. Once we cross the pass, we will see Udziro Lake from afar. The trail here gets a bit easier. Upon reaching Udziro Lake, we will have time to rest and relax before finding the best place to camp. Overnight in tents.
Hiking details: 10.8 km, ↑1816 m, ↓464 m

Day 3
Udziro Lake – Glola village – Tbilisi

After breakfast, we will start hiking downhill. The trail will take us downhill through beautiful alpine meadows and rhododendron fields. Once we cross the Chibisru stream, we will follow a forested path leading to Glola village. In Glola, we will meet our vehicles and head back to Tbilisi. Return to Tbilisi. The end of the tour.
Hiking details: 8.9 km, ↑272 m, ↓1753 m

 

Inclusions:

  1. Transfers,
  2. English speaking hiking guide
  3. Entrance fees if required
  4. Guesthouse with dinner, breakfast, lunch boxes.

 

Exclusions:

  1. Personal travel insurance,
  2. Meals not mentioned
  3. Gratitudes.

 

 

Note:
Please check Terms and Conditions for our cancellation and insurance policy

 

 

HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE TOUR

 

WEATHER

Georgian weather changes often and fast. For this reason, it’s essential to follow the weather forecast closely. Here is the weather forecast. Please check it the night before the tour to be well prepared.

WHAT TO WEAR
Please wear clothes appropriate to the weather. Hiking boots and walking poles are a must. Bring one set of warm clothes and one very light summer outfit. Good raincoats, rain covers for backpacks, and another pair of shoes or sandals to wear in the evenings are a must. You must bring a large, 50–70-liter backpack and fit all your belongings inside and carry with you.

FOOD & DRINKS
On the first day of the tour, we will stop at a local market to buy food supplies for the trek. We will also get some snacks for the long drive. Dinner we will have in a guesthouse. On the second day, we will eat breakfast in the guesthouse. We will make our dinner using the ingredients we bought at the market.
On Day 3, we will make breakfast on our own. After finishing the hike, we may stop at a local restaurant for another meal.
Always make sure you have enough drinking water. 1.5–2 liters should be enough for the day. We will be refilling our bottles with water from streams and springs and tap water in villages/guesthouses.

EQUIPMENT & OTHER ESSENTIAL ITEMS
If you are prone to motion sickness, please have medicine with you.
As for the equipment, you will need hiking poles, a good tent, a sleeping bag, a sleeping pad, a headlight (torch), a raincoat, forks/knives/spoons/cups, a small pot, sunscreen, and everything that protects you from the sun. We also recommend carrying a personal first aid kit, hygiene items, and water bottles.
If you lack any of those items, we can help you with renting it.MAKE YOUR BACKPACK AS LIGHT AS POSSIBLE.

GUIDE 

We will send you guide’s contact details a few days before the tour. Please make sure to check your inbox and spam.

Black Rock Lake Trek – Lagodekhi National Park – from July to October

Black Rock Lake

This is a private overnight trek to Black Rock Lake (Lagodekhi Protected Area) in the far-east corner of the Kakheti Region. The trail is ideal for advanced hikers.

Date: Anytime From July to October
Duration: 3 days/2 Night
Driving distance: 350 km
Trip difficulty: Hard. We don’t accept novice hikers on this trail.
Group size: Any size
Accommodation: Tents or a basic mountain shelter
If you don’t own a tent, we can assist you with the rental!
Pick-up: Fri, 07:00, at your hotel location.
Price: 695 Gel per person in case of 5 participants. 
Please email us exact number of participants for exact price calculations.

Equipment needed: Sleeping bag, Pad, Hiking boots, poles, Day pack. Our rental: https://wtgeorgia.com/rental/

 

Trail parameters:

Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 42 km – Loop
Min. elevation: 550 m a.s.l.
Max. elevation: 2900 m a.s.l.
Total elevation gain: 2800 m
Total elevation loss: 2800 m
Water sources: Limited! Water will be available at the beginning of the hike, at the shelter, and once on the way to the lake.
River crossings: 1

Trail description: The trail requires hikers to walk up almost 1500 m on Day 1 and around 2000 m down on Day 3. Lower sections occur in a forest and upper ones in the alpine zone. it is for advanced hikers.

 

Itinerary:

Day 1

Tbilisi – Register Lagodekhi Protected Area (Passports required)
We will depart from Tbilisi early in the morning and drive to Lagodekhi. Our trek starts at the Lagodekhi Protected Area Information Center, where we will register and load our camping equipment on pack horses. Please have your passports. The horses will carry our luggage to a local mountain shelter, where we will stay overnight. The first 3 km will take us on relatively flat terrain and through the forest. Later, we will cross a river and start climbing (8.5 km) toward the shelter – our final destination for today. Most of the ascent will take place in the forest. But around 7th km, we will reach the first clearing offering a magnificent view of the valley below. Overnight in tents or a shelter.
Hiking details: 12 km, ↑1504 m

 

Day 2
Black Rock Lake
Today will hike to Black Rock Lake. On the way, we will find several water sources. The few final kilometers before Black Rock Lake will take us past small glacier-formed lakes and wetlands. The trail is challenging, but Black Rock Lake’s epic scenery will make you forget about all the effort. We will enjoy a lovely, scenic picnic before heading back to the shelter to camp overnight. Overnight in tents or a shelter.
Hiking details: 14 km, ↑1000 m, ↓1000 m

 

Day 3
Lagodekhi Protected Area – Tbilisi
After an early breakfast, we pack our equipment on pack horses and start hiking down. The trail is challenging as it includes long descent. Return to Tbilisi in the evening. The end of the tour.
Hiking details: 12 km, ↓1504 m

 

Inclusions:

  1. Transfers,
  2. English speaking hiking guide
  3. Entrance, camping, shelter fees.
  4. Pack horses and horse wrangler to carry luggage

 

Exclusions:

  1. Personal travel insurance,
  2. Meals,
  3. Gratitudes.

 

 

Note:
Please check Terms and Conditions for our cancellation and insurance policy

 

 

HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE TOUR

 

WEATHER

Georgian weather changes often and fast. For this reason, it’s essential to follow the weather forecast closely. Here is the weather forecast. Please check it the night before the tour to be well prepared.

WHAT TO WEAR
Please wear clothes appropriate to the weather. Hiking boots and walking poles are a must.
Bring one set of warm clothes and one light summer outfit.
Good raincoats, rain covers for backpacks, and another pair of shoes or sandals to wear in the evenings are a must.
You must bring a large, 50–70-liter backpack and fit all your belongings inside.
The large backpack will be carried by horses. Make sure to bring also a small day pack for essentials.

FOOD & DRINKS
Please prepare your own food for 2.5 days.
We will cook all our meals on Days 1 and 2. On Day 3, we will make breakfast on our own. After finishing the hike, we may stop at a local restaurant for another meal.
Always make sure you have enough drinking water. 1.5–2 liters should be enough for the day.
Water sources are limited on the trail to a couple of springs.

EQUIPMENT & OTHER ESSENTIAL ITEMS
If you are prone to motion sickness, please have medicine with you.
As for the equipment, you will need hiking poles, a good tent, a sleeping bag, a sleeping pad, a headlight (torch), a raincoat, forks/knives/spoons/cups, a small pot, sunscreen, and everything that protects you from the sun.
We also recommend carrying a personal first aid kit, hygiene items, and water bottles.
If you lack any of those items, we can help you with renting it.

GUIDE 
We will send you guide’s contact details a few days before the tour. Please make sure to check your inbox and spam.